Towson Growth Summit: Workforce Development 2026

The Networking Event with the Speaker Panel You Simply Cannot Miss in '26!

The Towson Torch, together with Mid Atlantic Properties, The Towson Chamber of Commerce, and The Baltimore County Department of Economic Development invite you to join us for a night of networking and a panel discussion as we host the senior most leaders from some of Towson's largest employers and educators in conversation about local Workforce Development for 2026.

A percentage of all ticket sales will be donated to The Women's Law Center of Maryland.

SPONSORED BY:

Towson Growth Summit: Workforce Development 2026

📅  Thursday, 1/22/26 4 PM – 7 PM
📍  Towson University: StarTUp at the Armory
🎟️  Tickets: $35

SPEAKER/PANELISTS:

• Kent Devereaux, President - Goucher College

• Jonathan Hess, Senior Executive Vice President - Whiting Turner

• Jon Howland, VP of Commercial, Industrial & Services Trades, Stanley Black & Decker

• Dr Sandra Kurtinitis, President - CCBC

• Melanie Perreault, Ph.D., Provost and Executive VP Academic Affairs, Towson University

AGENDA:

4:00 PM – 4:45 PM - Networking over Cocktails and Light Fare
4:45 PM – 6:15 PM – Panel Session Moderated by Jonathan Sachs,
Director of Economic & Workforce Development, Baltimore County
6:15 PM -  7:00 PM  Cocktails, Refreshments, & Networking

Food provided by Lib's Grill Towson - coming in 2026!

VENUE:


307 Washington Ave, Towson, MD 21204

EVENT TITLE SPONSOR:

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INAUGURAL SPONSORS:

GROWTH SPONSORS

VIDEOGRAPHY/PHOTOGRAPHY BY:

EVENT HOSTS:

WHY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT?

The State of Maryland has lost more than 120,000 residents to other states over the past four years alone, according to a recent analysis by Maryland Chamber of Commerce.

This is not just a population issue. It’s an economic development and a workforce development issue.

Workforce development is emerging as one of the most critical priorities for Towson’s future, shaping how our community grows, competes, and thrives in 2026 and beyond. As technology evolves and talent needs shift, businesses must rethink how they recruit, train, and support the people who power their success. The Towson Growth Summit brings together leading CEOs to share their vision for building a resilient, skilled, and opportunity-rich workforce. Towson remains a place where companies, and people can flourish. This discussion has never been more essential.

ABOUT THE TOWSON TORCH:

The Towson Torch is an all digital, local media outlet dedicated to finding and publishing stories about the great people, businesses, and happenings in greater Towson. Locally curated, with our feet on the street in Towson, our readers trust us to cover the positive stories that larger, traditional media outlets simply cannot and do not get cover. The result for our readers is an invaluable resource for them to say in touch with what Towson has to offer and for advertisers to be able to reach and engage our readers in a way that allows them to transfer their trust in us to their business/brand.



SUPPORT LOCAL BALTIMORE COUNTY NEWS FROM TOWSON; SUBCRIBE TO THE TORCH

A PORTION OF ALL TICKET SALES WILL BE DONATED TO THE WOMEN'S LAW CENTER OF MD.

The Women’s Law Center of Maryland (WLC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring the physical safety, economic security, and bodily autonomy of women throughout Maryland, primarily through direct legal services, educational hotlines, and advocacy initiatives